Anyone who works as a freelancer these days has to be at least a bit familiar with techie things. But it isn’t just that. When I was a kid and those vaguely SF puppet shows were on the television and all the other kids wanted to be Greg Gogetem or Steve Savetheuniverse, I wanted to be the guy in a white coat and glasses called Doc or Brains. Here are some technology-related feeds I find useful and/or entertaining.
Slashdot » Microsoft's CEO Says He Wants to Unify Windows
Deathspawner writes A lot of people have never been able to understand the logic behind Microsoft's Windows RT, with many urging the company to kill it off so that it can focus on more important products, like the mainline Windows. Well, this is probably not going to come as a huge surprise, especially in light of mass layoffs announced last … [Link]
Mashable » Sensor-Powered Seatbelt Could Save the Lives of Sleepy Drivers
Wearable tech has done a lot to foster the rise of the "quantified self" space, but surprisingly few of these devices focus on enhancing our safety Now a new prototype system looks to harness the kind of heartbeat and respiration monitoring features present in some wearables to alert drivers as to when they are dozing off behind the wheel See also: … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Today in APIs: Canada Will Hold Massive Hackathon in September
Canada to hold its biggest Hackathon this September. Hackers use Bitly API keys to hack news sites and misdirect users. Plus: Inside Shutterstock's hackathon, and Azavea becomes a Google civic information partner. Canada to Hold its Largest Hackathon Ever Hack the North, at the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo Ontario September 19-21 features 36 hours of hacking.
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ProgrammableWeb.com » Events.com API Aims to Please Event Coordinators
People are looking for something fun to do in their free time, and event coordinators are always looking for effective ways to let people know about the "things to do" they have on offer. The Events.com API provides the functionality required to connect the two—event-goers have a place where they can see exactly what's on, and those running the events … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » FiftyThree Debuts SDK to Coax Paper Adoption
FiftyThree is looking to expand beyond its own app. The company makes a stylus for the iPad called Pencil and an application called Paper. It's an app-and-accessory duo for creative types who want the traditional feel of a handheld instrument combined with the digital power of today's tablets. Well, FiftyThree thinks that just one app using the Pencil isn't enough. … [Link]
Mashable » Arizona Inmate Pronounced Dead 2 Hours After 'Botched Execution' Began
FLORENCE, Ariz. — A condemned Arizona inmate gasped and snorted for more than an hour and a half during his execution Wednesday before he died, his lawyers said, in an episode sure to add to the scrutiny surrounding the death penalty in the U.S. Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne's office said Joseph Rudolph Wood was pronounced dead at 3:49 p.m., one … [Link]
Mashable » HBO Promos 'Love Child' Documentary Exploring Gaming Addiction
When the infant of a South Korean couple addicted to online gaming died of malnutrition in 2010, the trial that followed was unprecedented. It was the first legal case that ever saw Internet addiction used as a defense In HBO's Love Child, which will premiere next Monday at 9 p.m. ET/PT as part of the network's recently established documentary night, … [Link]
Mashable » Dronies Are the Only Way to Be Photographed This Winter
SYDNEY — Selfies just weren't cutting it in 2014 Once you hit 5,000 Facebook 'Likes' for your phone-in-mirror shot, nothing fulfills you. How does one become more impressive to their friends? You up the ante with a dronie, of course. That's using a drone to take a photo of the subject while it hovers in the sky. If you can master … [Link]
Slashdot » Raspberry Pi Gameboy
An anonymous reader writes: An enterprising hacker took on a project to rebuild a broken Gameboy using emulation software, a Raspberry Pi, and a few other easily-obtainable parts. The result: success! The hacker has posted a detailed walkthrough explaining all of the challenges and how they were solved. "Using a Dremel, I cut out a most of the battery compartment … [Link]
Mashable » 'Gotham' Promo Urges People to 'Take Back' the City
The Gotham Chronicle is not too happy with the city's police department. That means you, Jim Gordon In this promo for the forthcoming Batman prequel, shared exclusively with Mashable, a newspaper covering the fictional city calls on residents to turn their backs on law enforcement, and instead, look to Gotham Chronicle for true justice. (For the record: journalists ≠ crime … [Link]
Mashable » 'Jews and Arabs Refuse to Be Enemies,' Unite for Peace Amid Gaza Conflict
As tensions, and the death toll, continue to rise and Israeli forces move further into Gaza, two students at Hunter College in New York have found a way to spread love at a time when it's so easy to hate. Abraham Gutman and Dania Darwish created a Twitter hashtag campaign, #JewsandArabsRefuseToBeEnemies, and Facebook page after Israeli military forces launched Operation … [Link]
Slashdot » VP Biden Briefs US Governors On H-1B Visas, IT, and Coding
theodp writes: Back in 2012, Computerworld blasted Vice President Joe Biden for his ignorance of the H-1B temporary work visa program. But Joe's got his H-1B story and he's sticking to it, characterizing the visa program earlier this month in a speech to the National Governors Association as "apprenticeships" of sorts that companies provide to foreign workers to expand the … [Link]
Mashable » Jack White's Resting Bitchface at Cubs Game Strikes the Internet
Jack White is the subject of a new meme, thanks to a sour case of resting bitchface. White is currently on tour supporting his latest album Lazaretto, but took a night off Tuesday to catch a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field. But while most photos show what looks like a perfectly pleasant night out, White's resting bitchface betrayed him in … [Link]
Mashable » Twitter Is Mostly a White Male Company, Diversity Data Reveals
It took a few weeks, but Twitter has finally released diversity data on its company, joining the likes of LinkedIn, Facebook and Google. The results? Twitter's roughly 3,000 employees are predominately white (59%) and overwhelmingly male (70%). The company's gender gap, in particular, becomes even more pronounced when broken down by expertise. Of Twitter's technology employees, a whopping 90% are men. … [Link]
Mashable » Tasmania: The Part of Australia Everyone Forgets
SYDNEY — Poor Tasmania. It is the island that floats just off the bottom of mainland Australia, and no one can seem to remember it is there. Tasmanians have copped a lot of slack over the years: A politician even had to issue a press release to help Australians remember the "forgotten state," and the state tourism organization ran a campaign … [Link]
Slashdot » Finding Life In Space By Looking For Extraterrestrial Pollution
coondoggie writes: If what we know as advanced life exists anywhere other than Earth, then perhaps they are dirtying their atmosphere as much as we are. We could use such pollution components to perhaps more easily spot such planets. That's the basis of new research published this week by researchers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. They say that if … [Link]
Mashable » Will We Ever See the Debut of YouTube Music?
Chris LaRosa, the head of YouTube’s "upcoming" music subscription service, is leaving the company. This setback marks yet another roadblock for the long-delayed project. Although YouTube music has been touted as a "Spotify killer," this most recent departure makes its future all the more ominous. LaRosa is the second person in charge of the project to leave over the past … [Link]
Mashable » Skype for Android Update Makes It Easier to Find Your Contacts
Skype updated its Android app Wednesday, and the 5.0 version syncs users' address books from their phones to their Skype accounts. First, users will have to verify their phone numbers in the app to sync contacts. Then, the phone's address book will instantly import information on the Skype contact list. Those who have Microsoft accounts will also be able to … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: Up to 35% Off (or More!) on Select PC Components and Accessories
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon offers some awesome discounts on select PC components and accessories. Today only, get started on your next PC build or give your existing machine an overdue upgrade with savings of up to 35% on select PC components and accessories. [Up to 35% Off (or More!) on Select PC Components and Accessories] … [Link]
Mashable » Teenage Pilot Dies in Plane Crash During Around-the-World Flight Attempt
Indiana teenager Haris Suleman died on Wednesday when his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean. The 17-year-old was attempting to fly around the world in 30 days and set a record as the youngest pilot to do so in the shortest amount of time. The plane went down shortly after leaving Pago Pago in American Samoa Tuesday night. Suleman and his … [Link]
Mashable » 7 Charts With All You Need to Know About Facebook's Blowout Q2 Earnings
Facebook has earned a reputation for delivering the goods on earnings day, and Wednesday was no exception. The social giant reported record totals for revenue, profits and user figures across the board on Wednesday, beating Wall Street estimates on a day when company stock rose nearly 3%. See also: 12 Facebook Statuses You Need to Retire The new numbers show that … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Companies Revisit API Usage Limits as Markets Change
As third-party applications built on APIs become more important distribution channels, companies have good reason to look closely at their API usage limits. Case in point: Yelp last week announced that developers can now issue 25,000 requests per day to its API. Previously, the company limited requests to just 100 per day.
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Mashable » 20 Pounds Thinner, Jake Gyllenhaal Works Butt Off in 'Nightcrawler' Trailer
"What I believe is that good things come to those who work their asses off, and that good people who reach the top of the mountain didn't just fall there," Jake Gyllenhaal's character Lou Bloom proclaims in the latest Nightcrawler trailer There's ambitious, and then there's dangerously ambitious. In this trailer from Open Road Films, Lou appears to be trying … [Link]
Slashdot » The Secret Government Rulebook For Labeling You a Terrorist
Advocatus Diaboli sends this report: The Obama administration has quietly approved a substantial expansion of the terrorist watchlist system, authorizing a secret process that requires neither "concrete facts" nor "irrefutable evidence" to designate an American or foreigner as a terrorist, according to a key government document obtained by The Intercept. …The heart of the document revolves around the rules for … [Link]
Mashable » 'Am I Going to Die, Daddy?' The Child in Gaza Asked
UPDATE 4:02AM ET: Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this story featured an incorrect photo. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — It is the saltwater coming out of the hotel tap that reminds you where you are, as you wake up in Gaza. And then you imagine your room besieged by honeybees. It is the constant whine of the … [Link]
Mashable » Pebble Exec: Batteries Are Top Challenge for Wearables Right Now
With more than 45 million wearable devices such as fitness trackers and smartwatches projected to ship by 2017, tech manufacturers and major brands are already starting to brace themselves for the upcoming wave. While the category is already heralded as a hot trend, adoption isn't quite there yet — many consumers still need to be convinced that they want a smartwatch … [Link]
Mashable » Chris Pratt Braids the Hair of World's Luckiest Intern
Celebrities, they're just like us! Chris Pratt proved he's a god among men by expertly French braiding an intern's hair during an interview with Entertainment Tonight. The Guardians of the Galaxy and Parks and Rec star has previously boasted about his hairstyling skills on Instagram. See also: 13 Hairstyles to Tame Your Mane in Humidity This is actually quite impressive … [Link]
Slashdot » Intel Launches Self-Encrypting SSD
MojoKid writes: Intel just launched their new SSD 2500 Pro series solid state drive, the follow-up to last year's SSD 1500 Pro series, which targets corporate and small-business clients. The drive shares much of its DNA with some of Intel's consumer-class drives, but the Pro series cranks things up a few notches with support for advanced security and management features, … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Superman’s Most Terrifying Nightmare Ever [Comic]
[Source: Dragonarte | Like Dragonarte on Facebook] [Link]
Mashable » 23 People Who Really Don't Want CNN to Eat Their Dogs
Cancel your dinner plans. CNN has something new on the menu for you A CNN op-ed titled "The Argument for Eating Dog" published Wednesday by columnist John Sutter profiles the illegal dog meat market and suggests that eating dogs could be less cruel than euthanizing them. Sutter goes on to say that while he couldn't bring himself to eat dog meat, … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Official Poster [Pic]
Now that is one pissed dragon! If you’re at SDCC 2014 this weekend, the first trailer will likely be presented at 10am in Hall H! [Source: The Hobbit on Twitter] [Link]
Mashable » You Can Only Download This Coupon If You're Standing in the Sun
The harsh fluorescent lights in the office don’t give you that much-needed dose of Vitamin D. Neither does binge-watching Orange Is the New Black or playing Watch Dogs. Head outside and soak up some summer, mole people. See also: Who Cares How Dorky These 10 Summer Accessories Are? It's Frickin' Hot And while you're there, you might want to — … [Link]
Mashable » Facebook Revenue Surges to $2.91 Billion in Q2, Beating Wall Street Estimates
Facebook revenue surged to nearly $3 billion in the June quarter on the strength of its ad sales, handily beating Wall Street estimates. Facebook reported earnings of $0.42 per share on revenue of $2.91 billion for the June quarter, compared to the consensus estimate among analysts for earnings of $0.32 per share on revenue of $2.81 billion. See also: 7 Charts … [Link]
Slashdot » 'Just Let Me Code!'
An anonymous reader writes: Andrew Binstock has an article about the ever-increasing complexity required to write code. He says, "I got into programming because I like creating stuff. Not just any stuff, but stuff other people find useful. I like the constant problem solving, the use of abstractions that exist for long periods nowhere but in my imagination, and I … [Link]
Mashable » Portland Could Soon Be the Most Airbnb-Friendly City in the U.S.
Portland, Oregon could soon be one of the most permissive cities in the U.S. for Airbnb-style rentals, as the city council prepares to vote on regulations that would legalize short-term one- and two-bedroom rentals in privately owned homes. The council discussed planned rules Wednesday that could have effects outside the northwestern city, as municipal law adapts to the emergence of startups … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Dropbox Launches Two New APIs
Dropbox has announced the public availability of two new APIs: the Shared Folder API and the Document Preview API. ProgrammableWeb connected with Dropbox developer advocate Steve Marx prior to today's announcement to learn more.
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ProgrammableWeb.com » Senzari Introduces MusicGraph.ai Music Graph Analytics and Intelligence Engine
Senzari, a leading music technology company, introduced MusicGraph.ai at the 2014 GraphLab Conference earlier this week in San Francisco.
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ProgrammableWeb.com » MuleSoft Extends Microsoft Integration Reach
Recognizing the wealth of investments that enterprise IT organizations have made in Microsoft platforms, MuleSoft today announced it is extending the level of integration it provides to a much broader array of Microsoft products and technologies.
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Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Even Arnold Schwarzenegger Thinks That “Han Shot First” [Pic]
Yes, we know that this picture has most likely been photoshopped, but we think it’s still funny enough to post. [Source: The Arnold Fans on Twitter | Via NA] [Link]
Mashable » It's Wednesday, So Here's a Deer Licking a Camera
Talk about a camera ham. A deer in upstate New York pranced up to a man's front porch and casually licked his camera. Good thing this deer has a photogenic nose. Dogs in Wheelchairs Playing Fetch Is All You Need Right Now 20 Pounds Thinner, Jake Gyllenhaal Works Butt Off in 'Nightcrawler' Trailer Army of Baes Invades Pharrell's 'Come Get … [Link]
Mashable » 'Orange Is the New Black,' So a Michigan Jail Needs New Jumpsuits
Orange may be the new black on Netflix, but not at the Saginaw County Jail in Saginaw, Michigan. Sheriff William Federspiel said he started buying new black-and-white jumpsuits for inmates after the traditional orange jumpsuits — featured in the Netflix dramedy series Orange Is the New Black — became "cool." See also: Keep Frenemies Close With These 10 Tips From 'Orange … [Link]
Mashable » Officials Search for 3 Days; Drone Finds Missing Man After 20 Minutes
After three fruitless days of extensive searching by authorities, an amateur drone pilot located a missing elderly man in a mere 20 minutes. On Sunday, David Lesh helped save Guillermo DeVenecia, an 82-year-old man who had gone missing for three days in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, last week. Search and rescue teams had been looking for him for all that time, using helicopters, … [Link]
Mashable » Putin Signs Law With Potential to Censor Facebook and Twitter in Russia
In a move that could have major implications for social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law Tuesday strengthening regulations on Internet data storage. Starting in 2016, the new law will require Internet operators to store Russian user data in centers within the country. Once data is stored on Russian servers, it will be subjected … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Quantum split: Particle this way, properties that way
Can you separate a bell from its ring? You can in the quantum world – the Cheshire cat experiment has shown neutrons splitting from their spins (full text available to subscribers) 
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Mashable » U.N. Official Warns of Gaza War Crimes; Only U.S. Votes Against Investigating
GENEVA — The U.N.'s top human rights official demanded Tuesday that all sides in the two-week war in the Gaza Strip refrain from indiscriminate attacks on civilians, warning that violations by both Israel and Hamas may amount to war crimes. The warning by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay came at a special session of the U.N.'s top human … [Link]
Mashable » Sierra Leone's Top Ebola Doctor, 'National Hero' Contracts the Virus
Sierra Leone's top Ebola doctor has reportedly saved over 100 patients from the deadly disease — now he will have to fight it within his own body. Sheik Umar Khan, 39, is a virologist whom Sierra Leone's health minister called a "national hero" for his efforts to fight the spread of the Ebola virus. He is now receiving treatment at a … [Link]
Mashable » Fox Invades Comic-Con With Drones
Comic-Con, the 2014 iteration of which kicks off Thursday in San Diego, has seen an increasing amount of outlandish stunts over the years — stadiums full of zombies, entire pop-up houses devoted to movies But Fox is set to kick it up a notch this year by bringing along a bunch of drones to promote the show 24 — and giving … [Link]
Mashable » AP's Botched Tweet Is Reminder Twitter Needs to Address Corrections
The Associated Press made news on Wednesday, but not the kind it intended The news organization put out a breaking news update that the plane carrying the bodies of victims from the Malaysia Airlines crash in Ukraine had landed in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, the way that update was worded led many to mistakenly believe the plane with the remains had crashed … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Avengers as an 8-Bit (And 16-Bit!) Video Game
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! CineFix presents THE AVENGERS, retold via old-school 8-bit (and a little 16 bit 😉 game tech. No quarters or controllers required! [Cinefix] [Link]
New Scientist – News » An easier way to turn plant scraps to plastics
A new way of turning vegetable waste directly into bioplastics could make such materials even more environmentally friendly 
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New Scientist – News » Oxygen oasis for early life found in ancient rock
A 2-billion-year-old rock has revealed the first evidence of the isolated pockets where oxygen-breathing life may have evolved 
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Mashable » Reddit's Live Feature Is Now … Live
Reddit’s live thread feature, which has been embraced by the site's news junkies covering topics like the Syrian civil war and the conflict in Ukraine, has been rolled out to all users. "I’m pleased to announce that reddit live is now… ahem… live," a Reddit representative wrote in a blog post. See also: Reddit's Newsgathering Comes of Age After Growing Pains … [Link]
Slashdot » 'Optical Fiber' Made Out of Thin Air
Dave Knott writes: Scientists from the University of Maryland say they have turned thin air into an "optical fiber" that can transmit and amplify light signals without the need for any cables. As described in the research, this was accomplished by generating a laser with its light split into a ring of multiple beams forming a pipe. Very short and … [Link]
Mashable » GM Issues 60th Recall, Bringing Year's Total to 29.7 Million
DETROIT — General Motors is issuing six more recalls covering a total of almost 718,000 vehicles in the U.S. The latest recalls bring the total for GM so far this year to 60, affecting a record 29.7 million cars and trucks. GM already has passed the 22 million vehicles recalled by all automakers last year. The biggest recall announced Wednesday was … [Link]
Mashable » The Netherlands Mourns as Bodies of Malaysia Airlines Victims Are Returned
EINDHOVEN, Netherlands — Strangers fondled their luggage, read their diaries, and pored over their effects spread out in the burned field of the crash site: Teddy bears, magazines, I love Amsterdam T-shirts. According to some reports, credit cards, cell phone and even a wedding ring were looted. And for days, the bodies just lay there — some only partially clothed. Today, … [Link]
Mashable » 'My Saddest Photo Yet': Astronaut Sees Israel and Gaza Rocket Fire From Space
The rapid-fire rocket exchange between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday evening was so bright it could be seen from space. German astronaut Alexander Gerst tweeted two images on Wednesday that he took from more than 200 miles above the Earth as the International Space Station was flying over Israel and Gaza The rocket fire and explosions crisscrossing between the two areas … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » SecureNet Debuts Single-Stack Payments API
SecureNet has released a new single stack of APIs that can handle mobile, in-store and online transactions. The APIs are language-agnostic and support both Android and iOS for greater reach. SecureNet says the APIs should result in quicker integration of payment services and shorten development cycles.
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Slashdot » The Department of Homeland Security Needs Its Own Edward Snowden
blottsie writes: Out of all the U.S. government agencies, the Department of Homeland Security is one of the least transparent. As such, the number of Freedom of Information Act requests it receives have doubled since 2008. But the DHS has only become more adamant about blocking FOIA requests over the years. The problem has become so severe that nothing short … [Link]
Mashable » Man Kicked Off Flight After Tweeting About 'Rude' Gate Agent
Complaining about a flight on Twitter has become common practice for frequent travelers, but for one Minneapolis man a tweet did more than get a response from the airline on social media. He was asked to leave the plane — before eventually being allowed to re-board. See also: Teen Arrested After Tweeting Terror Threat to American Airlines Duff Watson had priority … [Link]
Mashable » Here's Why MOBAs Are Taking Over the Gaming World
Games like League of Legends and Dota 2 have been inescapable forces in the gaming world, but those uninitiated to the genre might be left wondering why they're so popular. Both these games are part of a genre called MOBAs, or "multiplayer online battle arenas." Not only are they converting gamers, and their dollars, by the millions, they're attracting publishers … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Baxter the robot brings his gentle touch to novel jobs
A robot designed to work alongside humans in factories is finding a range of unusual alternative applications – from treating patients to farming in space 
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Slashdot » Autonomous Sea-Robot Survives Massive Typhoon
jfruh (300774) writes Liquid Robotics and its Wave Glider line of autonomous seafaring robots became famous when Java inventor James Gosling left Google to join the company. Now one of its robots has passed an impressive real-world test, shrugging off a monster typhoon in the South China Sea that inflicted hundreds of millions of dollars of damage on the region. … [Link]
Mashable » 'The Amazing Spider-Man 3' Delayed; 'Sinister Six' Gets 2016 Release Date
Sony is doing precious little at Comic-Con this year — with no Spider-Man film in production, the Columbia Pictures panel isn't even in Hall H — but they'll be back soon enough. Just not as soon as we thought, and with different titles to promote. The studio on Wednesday announced that Sinister Six, its supervillain team-up from the Spider-Man "universe," will … [Link]
Mashable » The Group of Bloggers Unearthing MH17 Intel Quicker Than U.S. Spies
In the frenzy to determine who — and what — shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, a group of citizen journalists armed with simple intuition and an Internet connection has been collecting information more nimbly than American spies. On Tuesday, U.S. intelligence officials admitted that while it's true that Russia has been arming pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine for months, no … [Link]
Mashable » Army of Baes Invades Pharrell's 'Come Get It Bae' Music Video
Don't lie. Whenever you hear the word "happy" you think of Pharrell's "Happy." Now, he wants you to think of him whenever you hear "bae." What is a bae? The acronym, standing for "before anyone else," is often used as a substitute for baby, boo or sweetie, according to the Urban Dictionary. Pharrell, through his lyrics and dance-filled video, tries … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Worm neuron hack to probe the mysteries of our brains
Hijacking how neurons of nematode worms are wired is the first step in an approach that could revolutionise our understanding of brains and consciousness 
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Mashable » This Game Generates the Infinity of Space With an Algorithm
Sean Murray, one of the creators of the computer game No Man’s Sky, can’t guarantee that the virtual universe he is building is infinite, but he’s certain that, if it isn’t, nobody will ever find out. “If you were to visit one virtual planet every second,” he says, “then our own sun will have died before you’d have seen them all.” No … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Pokemon: The Honest Trailer [Video]
From Nintendo, comes the game that spawned five generations of sequels, five television shows, one Magic The Gathering rip-off, seventeen movies, and a god? [Smosh Games] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » The Mystery of Tylenol: We Really Don’t Know How it Works [Science Video]
Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol™, is one of the most popular pain relievers in the world, selling more than 27 billion doses in 2009 alone. It can reduce fevers, eliminate aches and pains and relieve cough and cold symptoms. But how does it work? The truth is, no one knows exactly. This week, Reactions examines the theories about the … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Today on New Scientist
All the latest on newscientist.com: turning CO2 to stone, one woman and her hawk, alcohol sharpens smell, liquid computers and more 
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Mashable » Foursquare Checks Out of the Check-in Game, Reveals New Logo
Foursquare’s attempt to transform itself from a check-in app into Yelp continues with a new app and a new logo. Back in May, Foursquare announced that it was taking the check-in out of the main app and wrapping it into Swarm, a new distinct app. When Swarm was released, users who didn't download the app could continue to use Foursquare to … [Link]
Mashable » MH17 Black Box Intact, Data Successfully Downloaded
The flight data and cockpit voice recorders from Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 safely arrived at a UK laboratory on Wednesday morning and investigators have already begun to pore through their data. So far, investigators say, so good. Officials who examined the Cockpit Voice Recorder say it "was damaged but the memory module was intact." They report seeing no evidence of manipulation, … [Link]
Mashable » FAA Extends Israel Flight Ban for Another Day
U.S. airlines are not allowed to travel to or from Tel Aviv's airport for another 24 hours while the FAA assess the danger of rocket attacks, the agency said Wednesday The FAA ban, which is in place from 12:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. local time) Wednesday to 12:15 p.m. ET Thursday, is an extension of its initial restriction on Tuesday that … [Link]
Mashable » Scientists Use a Sponge to Turn Sunlight Into Steam Energy
Nearly all utility plants generate electricity with steam. Whether it’s a coal plant or a nuclear plant or a solar thermal plant, all of these facilities use fuel to heat water to create steam that turns a turbine that generates electricity. Now researchers at MIT have developed a completely new structure for turning sunlight into steam: a sponge. The advance could … [Link]
Slashdot » Researchers Print Electronic Memory On Paper
MTorrice (2611475) writes Electronics printed on paper promise to be cheap, flexible, and recyclable, and could lead to applications such as smart labels on foods and pharmaceuticals or as wearable medical sensors. Many engineers have managed to print transistors and solar cells on paper, but one key component of a smart device has been missing—memory. Now a group of researchers … [Link]
Mashable » Big Data's Effect on Organ Transplant Wait Lists
Of 28,594 organs transplanted in 2013, you haven’t heard about most. The stories of a few might go viral thanks to social media, but the vast majority of donated organs are harvested from deceased donors or taken from living donors in relative obscurity. While the total number of organs transplanted seems like an impressive amount, nearly 18 people still die … [Link]
Mashable » Climate Change May Doom the Wine Cork
Wine lovers might treasure the oaky, full-bodied taste of a cabernet sauvignon or the light and fruity aroma of a pinot grigio. But if the bottle is stopped with a low-quality cork, they can kiss that meticulously cultivated flavor goodbye. Many people may only worry about corks when it's time to pop the Champagne, but some experts are worried about wine … [Link]
Mashable » Microsoft Admits to Killing the Surface Mini
Microsoft has confirmed it cancelled plans to release a Surface Mini tablet in the spring. During Tuesday's quarterly earnings call, CFO Amy Hood said that part of the reason revenue from the company's line of Surface tablets took a hit was because it had decided to kill an unreleased product. See also: There Was No Surface Mini Because Microsoft Already Lost … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Tragic cruise ship Concordia makes its final journey
After the world's most expensive salvage operation, the ill-fated Costa Concordia is being floated back to Genoa, where it will be chopped up for scrap metal 
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Slashdot » SpaceX Releases Video of Falcon Rocket's Splashdown
First time accepted submitter cowdung (702933) writes In spite of Elon Musk's characterization of the landing as a KABOOM event. Judging by this video SpaceX has managed to land the first stage rocket booster nicely on the ocean after their Orbcomm launch on July 14th. It seems we're one step closer to a landing on dry land. Both this and … [Link]
Mashable » George R.R. Martin Writes Back to Young Fan's Heartfelt Letter
Who knew so many people want to be killed off by George R. R. Martin? Martin's wolf sanctuary crowdfunding campaign with Prizeo, through which fans could purchase an in-book death at the hands of the Game of Thrones author for $20,000, has raised more $450,000 — more than double its initial goal. While the two "martyr" slots available were both purchased … [Link]
Mashable » Add Landscape to Milky Way Pictures For Breathtaking Stellar Photography
Mike Taylor is an accomplished landscape astrophotographer and an instructor for night photography and post-processing. Taylor contributed this article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. As a night photography instructor, I'm always encouraging students to integrate inspiring landscape elements in their photographs to create stunning night-sky compositions. During a recent trip to Utah, I came across an iconic, gnarly tree … [Link]
Slashdot » Microsoft FY2014 Q4 Earnings: Revenues Up, Profits Down Slightly
Microsoft has released their latest earnings report, and it's not as bleak as last week's news might have you suspect. Quoting Forbes: Microsoft reported $23.38 billion of revenue for the fourth quarter, up 17.5% from the same period last year. Net income, however, came in at $4.6 billion, down from last year and behind Wall Street analysts' consensus estimate, both … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Marvel Plans to Release One Sequel, One Franchise Every Year
Back in March, we brought you the news that Sony Pictures would release a Spider-Man or Spidey-themed movie every year. Now, Marvel is planning to “release one sequel and one new franchise each year,” beginning with Guardians of the Galaxy, JoBlo reports. 
Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios, revealed the plan in an interview with IGN on Monday: [Guardians … [Link]
Mashable » These 8 Funny Videos in 8 Days Earned Weird Al His First No. 1 Album
Weird Al Yankovic has finally laughed his way to the top of the charts with his 14th album, Mandatory Fun, more than 30 years after releasing his first. The project's debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart was bolstered by his #8videos8days stunt, which gave fans eight parody music videos in just as many days across YouTube and other … [Link]
Mashable » 20 Nintendo Facts to Blow Your 8-Bit Mind
You know it's a bad day when you learn that adult love shacks and porn stars have deep, historical roots in your childhood icons Or maybe it's just a sign you're getting older Take Nintendo: On the surface, it's an 8-bit, fun-loving universe packed with colorful heroes and affable villains. But behind the scenes? Let's just say there's more to … [Link]
Mashable » Malaysia Airlines Victims Honored as Bodies Are Returned
Almost a week after the Malaysian airliner was shot out of the sky, killing all 298 aboard, the first bodies from the crash were transported to the Netherlands, the country that suffered the hardest toll. Pictures and videos from the Eindhoven Airbase in the Netherlands captured the solemnity and grief of the occasion See also: Flight MH17 Victims Targeted in Facebook … [Link]
Slashdot » Researchers Design Bot To Conduct National Security Clearance Interviews
meghan elizabeth (3689911) writes Advancing a career in the U.S. government might soon require an interview with a computer-generated head who wants to know about that time you took ketamine. A recent study by psychologists at the National Center for Credibility Assessment, published in the journal Computers and Human Behavior, asserts that not only would a computer-generated interviewer be less … [Link]
Mashable » GamePop's 'Android Gaming for the TV' Gets Major Cash Push From Samsung
Cross-platform mobile software company BlueStacks has just snagged a major new investment from Samsung. The $13 million investment from Samsung will be focused on BlueStacks' GamePop product, a white-label solution allowing cable providers and television manufactures to offer a wide range of Android mobile games on traditional televisions See also: Android Gaming Consoles: The Ultimate Guide "This is a huge win … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Kinect projector guides people up a climbing wall
Smart projector plots glowing climbing routes onto a wall and tracks the movement of climbers as they follow it, suggesting the next move as they go 
[Link]
New Scientist – News » Liquid bits could brim with data in future computers
A future form of computing could see information stored on clusters of microscopic particles suspended in liquid 
[Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Online Video Blitz Gets Weird Al Yankovic To #1 on the Billboard 200
After 14 attempts over 31 years, Weird Al Yankovic has finally reached number one in the Billboard album charts. Mandatory Fun will debut at number one on the Billboard 200 based on sales from last week. Yankovic had previously said it’s likely to be his last album and he’ll now concentrate on singles and music videos. It’s official. MANDATORY FUN … [Link]
Mashable » The Rock Whips Everyone Into Shape on 'The Tonight Show'
Ridiculously sculpted muscles don't just happen overnight. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson had a pretty demanding exercise regimen to get in godlike shape for his latest film, Hercules. The wrestler-turned-actor stopped by The Tonight Show on Tuesday to let Jimmy Fallon in on his secret: a little-known workout duo known as The Fungo Brothers. See also: 14 'Late Night' Videos That … [Link]
Mashable » There Will Be One Windows for All Your Devices. Soon.
Windows Pro, Windows RT, Windows Phone — it's all very confusing, isn't it? Microsoft thinks so, too. But pretty soon, you won't have to worry about what version of Windows your device is running, because they will all be the same. See also: 9 Things You Would Immediately Fail Without Your Smartphone At least that's what CEO Satya Nadella said to … [Link]
Mashable » The 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Team Blasts Into Disney Infinity 2.0
Like any good blockbuster tie-in, Marvel's upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy film will be integrated as a play set in the next Disney Infinity title. Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes will feature toys and a full interactive adventure starring Rocket Raccoon, Star-Lord, Gamora, Groot and Drax. The toys will also integrate into Disney Infinity's freeform Toy Box mode. See also: … [Link]
Slashdot » CNN iPhone App Sends iReporters' Passwords In the Clear
chicksdaddy (814965) writes The Security Ledger reports on newly published research from the firm zScaler that reveals CNN's iPhone application transmits user login session information in clear text. The security flaw could leave users of the application vulnerable to having their login credential snooped by malicious actors on the same network or connected to the same insecure wifi hotspot. That's … [Link]
Mashable » Kayakers Lifted Out of Water: 'We're on Top of the Whale!'
Here's a whale of a tale Two kayakers in Argentina came in extremely close contact with a few southern right whales before their boat was lifted up by one of the mammals. See also: Boater in Baja Slapped in the Face by an Enormous Whale The kayakers were paddling through a marine sanctuary near Puerto Madryn as they reached a … [Link]
Mashable » Apple's Latest Earnings Report Hints at New Products
Apple’s execs didn't say much on its third quarter earnings call on Tuesday about the various new products rumored to debut this fall, but the earnings report may offer some clues In the report, Apple revealed that it spent $1.6 billion on research and development in the June quarter, up more than 30% from the same quarter a year earlier. Walter … [Link]
Slashdot » Robot With Broken Leg Learns To Walk Again In Under 2 Minutes
KentuckyFC (1144503) writes When animals lose a limb, they learn to hobble remarkably quickly. And yet when robots damage a leg, they become completely incapacitated. That now looks set to the change thanks to a group of robotics engineers who have worked out how to dramatically accelerate the process of learning to walk again when a limb has become damaged. … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Threatwatch: Chikungunya virus hits the US and Europe
Locally acquired cases of chikungunya virus have been identified in the US for the first time, while cases soar in Europe and Central America 
[Link]
Mashable » Jon Stewart Wants You to Help Buy CNN With a $10 Billion 'Kickstarter'
21st Century Fox's recent attempt to acquire Time Warner came with the caveat that the combined company would need to sell off CNN Time Warner executives rejected the deal. But, just in case, Jon Stewart is ready to pounce. See also: 7 Kickstarter Projects That Would Make Killer Gifts for Dad On Tuesday night's episode of The Daily Show, Stewart announced … [Link]
Slashdot » Firefox 33 Integrates Cisco's OpenH264
NotInHere (3654617) writes As promised, version 33 of the Firefox browser will fetch the OpenH264 module from Cisco, which enables Firefox to decode and encode H.264 video, for both the tag and WebRTC, which has a codec war on this matter. The module won't be a traditional NPAPI plugin, but a so-called Gecko Media Plugin (GMP), Mozilla's answer to the … [Link]
Mashable » TransAsia Plane Crashes in Taiwan, Killing Dozens
A TransAsia Airways passenger plane crashed on a small Taiwanese island on Wednesday after attempting to make an emergency landing in typhoon conditions. Taiwan's transport minister says 47 people are trapped and feared dead, and seven injured have been rushed to area hospitals. Images from the airport showed a handful of firefighters using flashlights to sift through the wreckage in the … [Link]
Mashable » Google Acquires Finnish Startup to Address Smartphone Fragmentation
Google has acquired a Finnish firm specializing in mobile 3D graphics analytics, a move that will help the search giant tailor its software to a variety of hardware smartphone options The startup, drawElements, focuses on figuring out how to optimize complex graphics for various pieces of mobile hardware. See also: 14 Google Tools You Didn't Know Existed "We’re excited to announce … [Link]
Mashable » Parents Who Lost 3 Children on MH17 Say Life Is 'Hell Beyond Hell'
SYDNEY — The Western Australian parents of three children, who were killed with their grandfather on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, released a heartbreaking statement on Wednesday. Anthony Maslin and Rin Norris lost their three children — Mo, 12, Evie, 10, and Otis, 8 — plus Norris's father, Nick, when the plane was shot from the sky above a field in eastern … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Zoologger: Moose dribble turns off grass's toxic defences
The grasses that moose eat contain fungi that make powerful toxins, but the animals' saliva somehow turns off this defence response 
[Link]
Mashable » Your Chance to Win an iPad Mini and 1 Year of Free Wi-Fi
Making your next career move can be daunting, especially if you don't have the tools to help you search. Mashable partnered with Wakefield, a guide to startups and new jobs, to help you out See also: The 25 Best Free iPad Apps Enter our sweepstakes here for the chance to win an iPad Mini and free Wi-Fi for one year from … [Link]
Mashable » How to Download Apple OS X Yosemite
As promised, Apple is throwing open the doors on the beta program for OS X Yosemite Thursday. That means, starting tomorrow, anyone with a compatible Mac can download and install a preview of the software, as long as they register. To get the preview, you'll need to sign up through the OS X Beta Program site. Once you've done that, Apple … [Link]
Mashable » The Mac Never Looked So Good: OS X Yosemite Beta
This fall, Apple will release OS X Yosemite, the latest version of its operating system for the Mac. OS X Yosemite features a brand-new look, tons of new features and tight integration with iOS 8 If you can't wait until the fall, though, Apple is releasing OS X Yosemite beta to the public — for the first 1 million users … [Link]
Slashdot » China Plans Particle Colliders That Would Dwarf CERN's LHC
ananyo (2519492) writes Scientists at the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) in Beijing, working with international collaborators, are planning to build a "Higgs factory" by 2028 — a 52-kilometer underground ring that would smash together electrons and positrons. Collisions of these fundamental particles would allow the Higgs boson to be studied with greater precision than at the much smaller … [Link]
Mashable » The Starter Guide to Classic Black and White Films
Classic films can be intimidating. The era of iconic flicks before roughly the 1960s was largely dominated by black and white movies, which come with a certain level of culture shock for those who aren't used to the different aesthetics Aside from the lack of color, you must adjust to hand-drawn title cards, fake sets, that persistent classical music in the … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Reddish-Greenish-Refactor
“Red-Green-Refactor” is a familiar slogan from test-driven development (TDD), describing a popular approach to writing software. It’s been both popular and controversial since the 2000′s (see the recent heated discussions between David Hansson, Bob Martin, and others). I find that … [Link]
Slashdot » Amazon Fire Phone Reviews: Solid But Overly Ambitious
An anonymous reader writes: Amazon's Fire Phone launches later this week, and the reviews have started to come in. The hardware: "There's nothing terribly special about the Fire Phone's hardware, but there's very little to turn you off either." "The nice-looking IPS display in the Fire Phone gets bright enough for outdoor viewing, and it has nice viewing angles—a necessity … [Link]
Mashable » 2 Ukrainian Military Jets Shot Down Near MH17 Crash Site
Two of Ukraine's military fighter jets have been shot down in the embattled eastern part of the country, according to its Defense Ministry The jets were reportedly shot down over Saur Mogila, which is less than 15 miles from where Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down less than a week ago See also: Russia Lays Out Its MH17 Evidence: 6 … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Latest HIV 'cure' claims prompt calls for more caution
Bone marrow grafts have helped both patients stay all but virus-free for three years. But the disease has come back before in others, and a simpler treatment is needed 
[Link]
Mashable » Movie News Still Rules Comic-Con. Here's What You'll See This Year
SAN DIEGO — It's been said that TV is taking over Comic-Con — that the movie studios that shoved comic books out of the spotlight years ago are losing their grip, as shows like Game of Thrones absorb attention and set up shop in Hall H. But when the lights go down in the big room for say, Warner Bros., or … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Jeremy Rifkin unveils a return to the local in an interconnected future
Jeremy Rifkin is always predicting an avalanche of change: substitutes for human labor in The End of Work, pervasive genetic engineering in Algeny, and so on. Several interlocking themes run through his latest book, The Zero Marginal Cost Society. Behind … [Link]
Mashable » Facebook Q2 Earnings: What to Expect
Two years after its turbulent IPO, Facebook is riding high. It has more than one billion monthly active users on mobile and mobile ads now account for the vast majority (59% as of last quarter) of total ad revenue, proving its successful transition to mobile. Its 1.2 billion-plus user base looks more impressive every time someone publishes an article about Twitter's … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Materials that make up our world
Editor’s note: This is part two of a two-part series reflecting on the O’Reilly Solid Conference from the perspective of a data scientist. Normally we wouldn’t publish takeaways from an event held nearly two months ago, but these insights were … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » How to build and run your first deep learning network
When I first became interested in using deep learning for computer vision I found it hard to get started. There were only a couple of open source projects available, they had little documentation, were very experimental, and relied on a … [Link]
Mashable » 15 Sci-Fi Books That Predicted the Future
Sci-fi writers are really just modern day prophets when you think about it. With so many classic stories of dystopian futures, strange gadgets and exotic worlds, you're bound to stumble upon a couple accurate predictions in speculative fiction. Of course, some predictions are so accurate, they're scary. See also: 13 Short Stories That Will Blow Your Bind Perhaps these prophetic science … [Link]
O'Reilly News and Commentary » Four short links: 23 July 2014
Talking to Big Machines (Jon Bruner) — “Selfless machines” coordinate across networks and modify their own operation to improve the output of the entire system. Docker Security — Containers do not contain and Stop assuming that Docker and the Linux … [Link]
Mashable » When You Should Delegate, and When You Shouldn't
“Non-delegator” sounds so much nicer than “control freak” or “know-it-all,” but truth be told, that’s just semantics. Delegating can be scary — especially if you've been burned before and if you know exactly how you like things done — but I probably don’t have to tell you that it’s a crucial part of moving up the ladder. That said, that instinct to … [Link]
Mashable » 10 Apps That Will Help You Sleep Better
We’ve all heard it before — the general rule of thumb is that a good night's sleep consists of about seven to eight hours. But with late-night work, stress or Netflix binges, achieving the perfect amount of shut-eye can be difficult From guided meditations to nature sound playlists, there are a handful of apps out there to help you get the … [Link]
Mashable » Wanna Be the Best at 'Kim Kardashian: Hollywood'? 5 Tips From an A-Lister
Are you an aspiring diva? Do you dream of the glamorous lifestyle, but the best you can do is marathon a season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians? If you love that lifestyle — or love to hate it — it's possible you've already been sucked in to Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. But if you aren't sure how to best maximize your … [Link]
Mashable » Shipwrecked Costa Concordia Making Final Voyage Off Isle
GIGLIO ISLAND, Italy —The Costa Concordia cruise liner has begun its final voyage, slowly being towed away from the tiny Italian island where it capsized, killing 32 people in 2012. Sirens on nearby boats wailed and bells on the island tolled just before two tugboats on Wednesday pulled the Concordia away from Giglio's port, where the luxury liner ended up on … [Link]
Mashable » Before Accepting a Job, Run a Reference Check On Your Potential Boss
When interviewing for a new job, most of us are pretty good about analyzing the ins and outs — the responsibilities, the company culture, the growth opportunities, the commute and so on. But I've noticed there's one thing that many people tend to gloss over: who, exactly, we'd be reporting to in the position. And while maybe your boss isn't the … [Link]
Mashable » 10 Signs You're Addicted to Iced Coffee
Put the iced coffee down. We know, it's hot outside. You need caffeine. It helps calm your constant, dangerous, humidity-driven rage. But it's time somebody spoke up — you are addicted to iced coffee. See also: The 9 Types of Coffee Addicts Everyone Knows Americans spend on average about $1,100 each year on coffee. That number is probably inflated for iced … [Link]
Mashable » 8 Weird Wikis Lurking on the Web
Not all wikis are created equal. Beyond the organized world of Wikipedia are an infinite number of wiki pages on a myriad of topics. Users have created wikis for everything, from popular TV shows to historical events. See also: 9 Absolutely Petrifying Places on the Internet Since the Internet is a virtual Wild West, there are quite a few weird wikis … [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Amazon Deal of the Day: 68% Off the Marvel Blu-ray Bundle (10 Movies) – $64.99 + FREE Shipping
For today’s edition of Deal of the Day, Amazon has the Marvel Blu-ray Bundle (The Wolverine, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, X-Men, X-Men 2, X-Men 3, X-Men First Class, Fantastic Four, Fantastic Four 2, Daredevil, Elektra) on blu-ray for just $64.99 plus free shipping. That’s 68% off on the bundle’s regular list price of $199.99. -Marvel Blu-ray Bundle (10 Movies) – $199.99 … [Link]
New Scientist – News » Brazil to unleash GM-mosquito swarms to fight dengue
Modified mozzies will be raised and released on a commercial scale for the first time, but critics warn that this biotech has not been sufficiently tested 
[Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Dune: Book Summary & Analysis by a Thug [Video]
The headline says all, watch and enjoy. [Thug Notes] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Keyboard Shortcuts in Real Life [Comic]
[Source: Calm Blue Oceans | Via Team Pwnicorn] [Link]
Geeks are Sexy Technology News » Mad Cat BattleTech Treehouse [Pic]
NASA scientist Jim Martin built this huge Mad Cat mech treehouse for his kids with just a few hundred dollars of budget for some metal, wood, and cement. [Source: Bored Panda | Ronin Fortress | Via] [Link]
Mashable » Bodies of Malaysia Jet Victims Leave Ukraine
KHARKIV, Ukraine — Two military aircraft carrying the first bodies of victims of the Malaysia Airlines crash left the embattled plains of eastern Ukraine Wednesday, bringing some consolation to grieving relatives who still must wait for positive identifications and answers about who caused the disaster. The Dutch government declared a day of national mourning as the country prepared for the arrival … [Link]
Mashable » Chrysler Recalls 792,300 Jeep SUVs for Ignition Switches
The ignition switch defects that engulfed General Motors are now a rapidly growing problem at Chrysler. Chrysler said Tuesday it is recalling up to 792,300 older Jeep SUVs worldwide because the ignition switches could fall out of the "run" position, shutting off the engine and disabling air bags as well as power-assisted steering and braking. That's the same problem that has … [Link]
Slashdot » Privacy Lawsuit Against Google Rests On Battery Drain Claims
Jason Koebler writes: According to plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit against Google, personal information about you and your browsing, email, and app-using habits that is regularly sent between apps on you Android phone is harming your battery life. As odd as it sounds, this minor yet demonstrable harm is what will allow their lawsuit to go forward. A federal judge … [Link]
Mashable » Michael Bloomberg Flying to Israel to Protest Flight Restrictions
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday he will be flying to Tel Aviv to protest the recent flight restrictions and show it's safe to fly in and out of Israel "The flight restrictions are a mistake that hands Hamas an undeserved victory and should be lifted immediately. I strongly urge the FAA to reverse course and permit US airlines … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Don’t Let Australia’s New Data Warehouse Go Unnoticed
The Australian Bureau of Staistics (ABS) began allowing direct access to a mountain of demographic and social reports by launching a new RESTful API.
[Link]
Slashdot » Oso Disaster Had Its Roots In Earlier Landslides
vinces99 writes: The disastrous March 22 landslide that killed 43 people in the rural Washington state community of Oso involved the "remobilization" of a 2006 landslide on the same hillside, a new federally sponsored geological study concludes. The research indicates the landslide, the deadliest in U.S. history, happened in two major stages. The first stage remobilized the 2006 slide, including … [Link]
Mashable » RoboCup 2014 Is the World Cup for Robots
The 2014 RoboCup is an annual robot-soccer competition that brings together thousands of people to further robotics technology, and to crown a RoboCup champion. This year, the competition will be held in João Pessoa, Brazil. See also: Relive the Greatest World Cup Moments With a Flip Book Launched in 1997, RoboCup's goal is to create a robotic soccer team that will … [Link]
Mashable » The Faceless Army: Filipino Call Centers
As each business day begins in New York City, Wall Street becomes flooded with expensive cars and designer suits. Meanwhile, as the sun sets in Manila, some Filipinos get ready to start their workday at a call center. While the typical workforce in Manila begins to settle down for the night, the faceless army of call-center operators are preparing to take … [Link]
The Joy of Tech » JoT #2025: Be careful what you tweet for!
Sometimes it's better to keep things to yourself? If you enjoyed the comic, please retweet, Like, or share the URL, hopefully before the universe freezes over. [Link]
Slashdot » UK Cabinet Office Adopts ODF As Exclusive Standard For Sharable Documents
Andy Updegrove writes: "The U.K. Cabinet Office accomplished today what the Commonwealth of Massachusetts set out (unsuccessfully) to achieve ten years ago: it formally required compliance with the Open Document Format (ODF) by software to be purchased in the future across all government bodies. Compliance with any of the existing versions of OOXML, the competing document format championed by Microsoft, … [Link]
Mashable » Nemo Dies in Blender for Controversial Greenpeace Ad
SYDNEY — A fish that looks strikingly similar to Nemo has been sacrificed in a new controversial ad by Greenpeace Australia. The cartoon clownfish is seen swimming in water, until the video pans out to show that "Nemo" is actually inside a blender. See also: Panic, Then Tears, as Humans Save Beached Whale Australian actor Richard Roxburgh provides the commercial's … [Link]
Mashable » Alaska Airlines Has a Machine That 'Prints' Pancakes
Airport lounges offer travelers a place to relax, unwind and get away from the crowd while they wait for a flight, and airlines have gone to great lengths to make their lounges appealing to guests willing to pay for the privilege. While other airlines add chandeliers, culinary masterpieces, luxurious sleeping quarters and spa treatments, Alaska Airlines is appealing to travelers who … [Link]
Mashable » Add This Squatter in California to the List of Airbnb Horror Stories
As the number of people who use Airbnb to list and rent lodging grows, so do the horror stories. The latest is from Palm Springs, California, where a squatter is occupying a 600-square-foot condo reserved through the apartment-rental website. The owner of the rental, Cory Tschogl, is a rehabilitation therapist who lives in the Bay Area, and purchased the condo as … [Link]
Mashable » Propaganda Is the New Frontier for Fake Social Media Accounts
Fake social media accounts are spreading pro-Chinese propaganda on Twitter, disseminating upbeat news stories about the troubled regions of Tibet and Xinjiang, according to an investigation by advocacy group Free Tibet. It's unclear if this effort is led by the Chinese government, whose online-propaganda efforts normally involve real people paid to post favorable comments to shape public opinion. But if China … [Link]
Slashdot » Deaf Advocacy Groups To Verizon: Don't Kill Net Neutrality On Our Behalf
Dega704 sends this quote from Ars: No company has lobbied more fiercely against network neutrality than Verizon, which filed the lawsuit that overturned the FCC's rules prohibiting ISPs from blocking and discriminating against Web content. But the absence of net neutrality rules isn't just good for Verizon—it's also good for the blind, deaf, and disabled, Verizon claims. That's what Verizon … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Hotel CRS More Effective Than Local APIs
WhaTech recently reviewed the Hotel Central Reservation System (Hotel CRS), a tool developed by Provab Technosoft, a travel software provider. Hotel CRS consolidates major XML Hotel APIs from the hospitality sector to construct a comprehensive reporting package for users to view accommodation availability, inventory, and more. It also is helpful for internal bookkeeping, acting as a point of entry for … [Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Breach Offers DIY Alternative to Browser Giants
Built by San Francisco based programmer Stanislas Polu, Breach is a barebones DIY web browser ideal for the developer yearning to take back control of their web experience.
[Link]
ProgrammableWeb.com » Voxbone Unveils 3rd Iteration of Powerful Telco API
Servicing 3 million requests per day throughout 50 countries, Voxbone fuels the telecommunications industry by providing geographical, mobile, and toll free numbers. They have recently announced the full release of an updated API to empower cloud communications, international services, and large carriers with faster provisioning and management of virtual local phone numbers.
[Link]
Slashdot » Open-Source Blu-Ray Library Now Supports BD-J Java
An anonymous reader writes: Updates to the open-source libbluray, libaacs, and libbdplus libraries have improved the open-source Blu-ray disc support to now enable the Blu-ray Java interactivity layer (BD-J). The Blu-ray Java code is in turn executed by OpenJDK or the Oracle JDK and is working well enough to play a Blu-ray disc on the Raspberry Pi when paired with … [Link]
Mashable » IBM's Watson Will Help Veterans Prepare for Post-Military Life
From Jeopardy contestant and customer-service agent to master chef, IBM's Watson supercomputer has taken on a number of roles in the past few years. Now, IBM is partnering with United Services Automobile Association to put the world's most famous supercomputer to a new use: helping members of the military prepare for civilian life. See also: When a Computer Is Your Personal … [Link]
Mashable » Mesmerizing Clip Imagines Los Angeles Without Traffic
Los Angeles roadways are some of the country's most congested, but this mesmerizing clip imagines how the city might look without traffic Filmmaker Russell Houghten turned Los Angeles into a ghost town for his eerie and beautiful video, "Urban Isolation." See also: 10 U.S. Freeways With the Worst Traffic Urban Isolation from Russell Houghten on Vimeo. The clip features wide shots … [Link]
Mashable » Amazon Fire: The Phone That Makes You a Star
Amazon took its time in launching the Fire phone, and it shows. Where you might expect a device carelessly thrown together to capitalize on the popularity of the Kindle Fire tablets, you instead find a remarkably well-designed piece of technology. And it's fun to use, too. Even without its fancy marquee features, the Fire phone is an odd duck. It's … [Link]
Slashdot » EFF Releases Wireless Router Firmware For Open Access Points
klapaucjusz writes: The EFF has released an experimental router firmware designed make it easy to deploy open (password-less) access points in a secure manner. The EFF's firmware is based on the CeroWRT fork of OpenWRT, but appears to remove some of its more advanced routing features. The EFF is asking for help to further develop the firmware. They want the … [Link]
Mashable » William Shatner Slams Facebook App Designed for Celebs Like Him
Memo to Mark Zuckerberg: next time you launch an app aimed at making Facebook easier for celebrities, consider asking William Shatner to beta-test it first. Shatner — yes, that Shatner, the singer, raconteur and sometime starship captain — launched a blistering broadside against Facebook Mentions on his Tumblr account Tuesday. "I’m not quite sure why Facebook released this app," Shatner concluded … [Link]
Slashdot » Black Hat Presentation On Tor Cancelled, Developers Working on Bug Fix
alphadogg writes A presentation on a low-budget method to unmask users of a popular online privacy tool Tor will no longer go ahead at the Black Hat security conference early next month. The talk was nixed by the legal counsel with Carnegie Mellon's Software Engineering Institute after a finding that materials from researcher Alexander Volynkin were not approved for public … [Link]
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